I received the New Testament in Chamorro last January. But when I received it, I couldn’t read it because all of its writing was beyond my level of comprehension. But I tried to read it again during Christmas, and I can now read and understand a lot! I would like to translate the verses about love from 1 Corinthians, because it is well known and very beautiful. This post includes the Chamorro text, an English translation and an audio narration by Schyuler Lujan of 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, from the Nuebu Testamento out of Saipan from the late Bishop Tomas A. Camacho. Happy reading!
| Chamoru | Ingles | |
| 1 | Yanggen siakåsu na siña yo’ kumuentos ni lengguahen todu i taotao yan kontodu i lengguahen manånghet, lao yanggen tåya’ ginefli’e’ giya guahu, tåya’ bali-ña i kuentos-hu, kalang ha’ yo’ un burukento na palångpang o sino un kampåna ni dumåndandan sin pinto’-ña. | If I can talk in the language of all people and with the language of all the angels, but if there is no love in me, there is no value in my speech, and it is like the clanging noise of a bell that is making music without its will. |
| 2 | Yanggen siakåsu na manå’i yo’ ni rigalon prufisiha; yanggen siakåsu na hu tungo’ yan hu komprende todu i sikretu; yanggen siakåsu na manå’i yo’ ni todu i hinenggen ni manisisita para bai hu muebi i ekso’ sabåna siha – lao yanggen tåya’ ginefli’e’ giya guahu, tåya’ båli-hu. | If I am given the gift of prophechy; if I know and understand all the secrets; if I am given all the belief that is necessary for me to move mountains – but if there is no love in me, then I have no value. |
| 3 | Yanggen siakåsu hu na’enñaihon todu i guinaha-hu, yan hu na’enñaihon i tahtaotao-hu para u masongge – lao yanggen tåya’ ginefli’e’ giya guahu, tåya’ båli-ña este siha para guahu. | If I will give for a while all of my possessions, and if I give my body for a while to be burned – but if there is no love in me, there is no value in these for me. |
| 4 | I ginefli’e’, pasensia yan kariñosu; ti hohosguan ti banidosu | Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or prideful; |
| 5 | i ginefli’e’, ti benggatibu, ti hambiento, ti chaddek lalålo; i ginefli’e’ ti ha tutufong i linachi siha; | love is not vengeful, it is not greedy, not quick to anger; love does not count the wrongs; |
| 6 | i ginefli’e’ ti mumamagof gi tailayi, lao mumamagof gi minagåhet. | love is not happy in cruelty, but is happy in truth. |
| 7 | I ginefli’e’ ti hohokkok siningon-ña; ya i hinengge-ña, i inangokko-ña yan i pinasensiå-ña ni nungka nai u påra. | Love’s endurance does not run out; and its belief, its trust, and its patience will never stop. |
| 8 | I ginefli’e’ taihinekkok. Guaha bensiyon na prufisiha lao temporårio ha’ este siha; guaha siha rigålu para kumuentos gi estrangheru na lengguahi, lao siempre u fampåra; guaha siha tiningo’ lao siempre u fa’pos. | Love is endless. There are convincing prophecies, but these are only temporary; there are gifts for talking in strange languages, but they will stop; there is knowledge, but it will pass. |
| 9 | I rigålun tiningo’ yan prufisiha ni manmanå’i hit ti kabåles; | The gift of knowledge and prophecy that is given to us is not complete; |
| 10 | lao yanggen måtto ayu i prifekto, siempre ayu i ti kabåles u falingu. | but when that perfection arrives, that which is not complete will disappear. |
| 11 | Annai påpåtgon yo’, i kuentos-hu, yan i siniente-ku, yan i hinasso-ku todu kalang påtgon; lao på’go sa’ esta gai idåt yo’, ti hu nisisita esta este i che’cho’ påtgon. | When I was a child, my speaking, my feeling, and my thoughts were all like a child; but now because I already have age (am an adult), I am not needing these ways of a child. |
| 12 | Håfa i ta lili’e’ på’go na figura kalang maya’ gi halom espehos; lao siempre ta li’e’ gi me’nan matå-ta. Este i tiningo’-hu på’go ti kabåles; lao siempre kumabåles – u kabåles taiguihi i tiningo’-ña si Yu’os nu guahu. | What is this figure we are seeing that seems blurry in the glass; but we will see it in front of our faces. This is my knowledge now that is not complete; but it will become complete – it will become complete in the way of God’s knowledge of me. |
| 13 | Mientras tånto* este i tres u fanggagaige ha’: i hinengge’, i ninangga, yan i ginefli’e’; ya i mås takkhilo’ gi entre este siha, i ginefli’e’. | All the while there will only be these three: faith, hope, and love; and love is the highest of these. |
*Mientras tånto: I was not entirely clear on how to translate this, so if you have any feedback I’d be happy to hear it!
Lengguahi-ta 
I’d say your translation is spot on, the closest thing I can say is “meanwhile”. Also, *pakpak kannai* on the rest of your translation. 👏
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Si Yu’os Ma’åse! As always, I appreciate the feedback!
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